Fall Sparks
by sasuke12234
Summary: This is a rewrite of my modern AU!Makorra stories, Take a Bow and The Next Step. I came up with a better idea that would seem a lot better for the krew than my last one. I hope y'all like it. It's mostly Athletic!Korra love, but with some Makorra at the end.
1. Chapter 1

_The List_

May at Republic City High was like any other high school; seniors getting ready for graduation and college, juniors standing ready to take over the school, and fall sports putting together their summer camps. Football was the sport for fall when school started back each year, and the sign up list was always the talk of the school in May.

"Hey Mako, guess what I heard." A classmate yelled out as he walked up to Mako and Bolin in the back courtyard of the school.

"What?" Mako asked as he looked up from his binder.

"You know that new girl that transferred here like two months ago? The one that Asami always hangs out with." The boy asked as he stuffed his hands in his Letterman jacket.

"You mean Korra?" Bolin asked after taking a bite from his lunch.

Mako gave Bolin a look that made him jump slightly and swallow his food before mumbling an apology. "I know _of_ her, but I don't know her." Mako said as he looked back up at the classmate. "Why do you bring it up?"

"Well, word is she signed up for the football summer camp." The boy said with a slight humorous chuckle.

"Are you serious?!" Bolin said in complete shock. "Can she do that?"

Mako looked back at his brother and shrugged. "Yeah, coach can't turn her down since there's not a girls' football team. It's some kind of rule all schools have to follow. But, I still don't see the big deal in this." Mako said, looking back up at the boy who gave them the news.

"Well, I thought you might want to know since you'll be the Senior Captain next year and you'll be helping Coach with the camp." The boy shrugged. "Also, I heard that Coach looked at her transcript from her old school and turns out that she was the top of her school's athletic program, and could possibly take your position."

Mako shrugged and turned back to his class work, showing that he was done with the conversation. "If she gets my position, then I won't care as long she gets it fairly. Besides, she has to survive the camp first and I've seen guys three times bigger than me quit after the first day."

"You seem pretty sure about that, but ok." The boy shrugged before walking away.

Bolin looked at his brother for a moment before he felt it was right to speak. "Hey Mako, are you sure you're ok with this? I have gym with Korra, she's tough and maybe it would be a good idea if you or I talk to her about backing out. I mean, a girl on a football team, that just spells trouble."

Mako cut his eyes up to his brother. "We'll see after the camp." He then turned back to his binder and started to write in his notes. "Besides if she does make it, Coach will most likely make her a kicker."

* * *

Korra was standing at her locker, packing her messenger bag with the things she needed to take home for the night. Right before she could reach in her locker to get one of her binders, her door slammed shut, making her freeze in shock.

"Football Korra, really?!" Asami scolded as she looked at her friend.

"You do know my hand was about to go in there, right?" Korra responded as she stared at her friend's hand on her locker door.

"Yes, now answer my question please." Asami said as she rolled her eyes and dropped her hand.

"Ok, I'm guessing the word about me signing up got out." Korra said as she straightened her messenger bag and started to walk with Asami.

"Of course it got out. The list is on the coach's classroom door, where everyone can see it. Why football? There's Volleyball, Dance Team, Cross Country, and Softball – you love Softball! Why not Softball?" Asami asked, her tone slightly rising as she continued her questioning. "I even said you could cheer with me, the coach knows you go to tumbling classes with me and said she would be happy to give you a private try-out if you asked."

Korra just looked at her friend with a confused look. "Are you sick or something because you're not acting like yourself?"

"Korra!" Asami said sternly.

"Ok sorry. Look, I've done the other sports at my old school and wanted to try something new. Volleyball was fun, I still love Softball, didn't like Cross Country, and you know I dance during the summer at a studio. Also, you can tell your coach I said thanks, but no thanks. I tried Competition my freshman year and hated it when we were at school because I was the only one who wasn't a by-the-book Cheerleader." Korra tried to explain herself the best she could, still not understanding why the situation was a big deal. "Besides, next year's my senior year and I want to try something new. I played on the youth football team in elementary school and thought it was fun. I know high school football will be a lot different from that, but my parents already said that if I want to do it, they're ok with it as long as I don't look for any special treatment."

"But have you talked to the football coach yet? You know, to get his input on the idea of you trying out." Asami asked, the look of worry still on her face.

"Of course I did, I had to before signing up." Korra said as she looked at Asami. "He tried to talk me out of it. But you know how I am, once my mind is set you can't change it. Also, he couldn't turn me away or else he would've had the school board on his ass if they found out."

Asami looked at her friend. "The camp is going to be hard. It's made some big guys cry before."

"I know. I've heard the stories. I can do it." Korra responded confidently.

* * *

Feedback is greatly loved and highly recommended.


	2. Chapter 2

_The Window._

"We're home!" Bolin yelled as he and his brother walked into their home, Mako locking the door behind them.

"In the kitchen." A woman's voice yelled back.

Bolin dropped his book bag in the entryway and walked through the open living room and into the kitchen. Mako followed close behind, picking up his brother's book bag and setting it in one of the cushioned chairs in the living room.

"Hey dad, watch are you watching?" Mako asked as he stood beside his father and looked at the TV screen.

"College playoffs started early this year. I thought you had practice after school?" Mako's father, Yanlin said as he looked back at his son and noticed he wasn't wearing his practice uniform.

Mako sat down on the arm of the couch and glued his eyes to the baseball game on the screen. "I did, but coach got sick and canceled so Bo and I stayed after to get an early start on football conditions." Mako then cursed under his breath and crossed his arms when the batter on the screen swung out.

"Mako." Yanlin said as he glared at his eldest son for a moment.

Mako looked down at his father with a confused look and took a moment to realize what he did. "Oh, sorry."

"So Bo said that the neighbor's daughter signed up for football camp today. Did she really?" The boys' mother, Moriko asked as she crossed her arms and rested against the kitchen doorway.

"You're kidding. Tonraq said she was thinking about it, but wasn't sure if she would go through or not." Yanlin said a little surprised. "Why don't you go over and give her a few pointers?" He laughed as he swatted Mako on the leg. "Out of everyone, you're the only one who hasn't gone over and introduced yourself to the new neighbors."

Mako just shook his head at his father and stood up and grabbed his book bag. "No thanks. I'll be upstairs, I have a paper to finish writing." He said as he headed toward the stairs.

His parents just watched him leave the living room before Moriko decided to speak. "What is with that boy? He used to be so sociable when he was younger."

"He's just getting himself ready for senior year." Yanlin said as he sat back and looked through the channel guide.

"I think he's really worried about everyone saying that Korra might take his spot on the team." Bolin said as he walked up beside his mom with a donut in his hand.

"Why are you eating that? I'm cooking dinner." His mother snapped when she looked at Bolin.

"But I'm hungry." Bolin said in his defense as he hesitated to take a bite, to only have his mother take it away from him.

"You're always hungry." Moriko said as she scolded her son.

"But mom, I'm a growing-."

"I know, I know, 'You're a growing boy'. I've heard it countless of time. Now if you're so hungry, go set the table." She retorted as she pointed into the kitchen. Bolin slumped his shoulders as he walked away to do what he was told.

Upstairs, Mako walked into his room that was a complete opposite from his brother's. His bed was made with the pillows all in there spot, his floor was clean – no stain to be seen on his floor rug -, and all his table tops were clutter free. He set his book bag in its spot beside his desk before sitting in his chair and turning on his desktop. After setting up his computer and pulling up his paper, Mako heard yelling from outside his window. He turned his chair to the side and looked at a window across from his that only showed a dresser and half it's mirror, the end of a bed with a blue comforter, and part of a door.

In the room, from what Mako could see, a white dog jumped on the bed and instantly lied down, as it seemed to wait for something or someone. Someone then walked into view of the window and petted the waiting animal. The person ended up being Korra, with a smile on her face like all the other times Mako saw her in her room. She turned her head toward where she came in and seemed to be yelling something. She then patted her pet's head once more before walking toward the partly shown door and taking off her t-shirt, showing off the back of her white sports bra.

That was Mako's cue to give his neighbor her privacy. He pushed himself up from his chair and walked to his window and pulled his curtains to the center.

* * *

Feedback is greatly loved and highly recommended.


	3. Chapter 3

_The First Day._

The summer sun was hot as usual that morning. Everyone was on the practice field at 8 in the morning on the dot like they were told to be. Korra was sitting on the ground tying her shoes and talking to some of the guys that she made friends with before the camp.

The coach's whistle instantly caught everyone's attention and they all ran to the middle of the field. "Okay everyone," he shouted out so that all the people there could hear, "these two here beside me are your senior captains, Mako and Hasook." The coach motioned over to the two boys standing next to him, both wearing football shirts from the previous year and gym shorts with their school's initials on them. "These two have the most experience on the team and if you have any questions, ask them. Now, all of you will split and follow their orders for conditioning – seniors and juniors with Mako, and sophomores and freshman with Hasook. This camp is not going to be easy and if you feel you can't continue, just leave or don't show up for the next day. Now everyone get up and split in your groups and wait for orders from your captains." The coach said before blowing his whistle to dismiss everyone.

"Korra, a moment." The coach said before Korra could run off to her side of the field.

Korra nodded her head and ran towards him. "Yeah coach?"

"Last chance, if you don't think you can go through with this, you can leave. No one's going to go easy on you just because you're a girl." The football coach said as he looked down at her and crossed his arms.

Korra just smiled. "Thanks for worrying, but I'll be fine. Athletics and I have a good relationship."

"Okay then." The coach said as he pushed his hat back. "Go line up with your group. You'll be doing an Indian run three times around the campus." He finished as he pointed to the line of seniors and juniors.

Korra nodded her head before running over to her group and joining in right behind Mako. When he noticed that Korra had join the group, Mako yelled out for the person in front to start running. After the first lap, Korra found herself getting close to the end of the line. She looked up at Mako in front her and then over at the field to find his brother doing football drills.

"So, um, your Mako, Bolin's brother, right?" Korra said, trying to start a conversation. After not getting a response from Mako, Korra looked down at her feet and to the side for a moment. "Um, I'm Korra. My family moved in next door to yours a while back. Bolin's talked about you some. I thought maybe over the summer the three of us could get together and hang out. I can even invite my friend Asami, Bolin said you two had a class together before."

"I don't like to talk and run, so can you be quiet? Besides, you should be going to the front right by now." Mako said without looking at her.

Korra angrily pursed her lips as she looked up at the back of Mako's head. "Jerk." She said as she ran past him.

* * *

"So what did you think of your first day?" Bolin asked Korra as he sat next to her on the ground. It was now five o'clock and the camp was over. The day was long and hot, making some kids, mainly the freshman, throw up on the field or pass out from working too hard.

"It was good. Will it just be conditioning all day tomorrow as well?" Korra asked as she looked over at him.

"I don't know, maybe." Bolin shrugged as he looked at his water bottle. "I would have to ask Mako. Him, Hasook, and the coach are the only ones that really know the plan for the summer." He finished before gulping down what was left in his water bottle.

"Oh yeah, about your brother. What is his up his butt? He's been a huge jerk this whole day." Korra said with and angry face.

Bolin just looked down at her and blinked his eyes for a moment. "Well, he's not really a jerk. He just gets really serious when doing workouts. Besides, he's a Senior Captain this year, there's a lot of pressure on him."

"Well, that still doesn't give him a reason to act like a jerk just when I'm saying hi and introducing myself." Korra said as she picked up her vibrating phone from the grass.

Bolin then got up from the ground when he saw his brother's black SUV pull up. "Hey, if you want, Mako and I are going to grab a bite to eat. You can follow us and see that he's not really as jerky as you think." Bolin suggested as he looked down at his friend.

"Thanks, but I'll pass. Asami just got out of cheer practice and we're going for a run around the school." Korra smiled as she stood up. "Maybe another time."

Bolin nodded and bent down to grab his bag. He ran over to his brother's car and threw his bag in the back seat before climbing into the front. "Is she going home?" Mako asked as he rolled down the windows and turned down the music.

"She's meeting Asami to go on a run around the school." Bolin said as he buckled himself in.

Mako let out an annoyed sigh as he rested his head against his headrest. "You have her number right?" He asked as he looked over at Bolin.

"Yeah." Bolin said looking a little confused.

"Tell her that if anything happens to text you or me and we'll come back. She's not really allowed to be here without the coach or one of the captains being present." Mako said as he turned the music back up and got ready to pull away while Bolin did what he was told. "Also add that she needs to wear a t-shirt and gym shorts tomorrow." He added, addressing the fact that Korra wore tight athletic shorts and a tank top to the camp; her usual tumbling practice uniform.

"What? Why?" Bolin asked shocked as his brother started to pull out of the school parking lot.

"Because it's a distraction to most of the guys." Mako explained calmly.

Bolin just looked at his brother for a moment. "You mean it was a distraction for you." He said with a smile.

Mako stomped on the brake pedal and stopped the car in the middle of the empty road. "Bo, may I remind you that I can kick you out and make you walk."

"Okay, okay. Sorry." Bolin said as he went back to typing the text message to Korra.

* * *

Feedback is greatly loved and highly recommended.


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